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Monday, October 12, 2009

I feel like side dishes often get relegated to the back burner. Many people don't really care about them. Well, I have to admit that oftentimes I will just throw some veggies in the steamer or on the grill and call it a day, but sometimes I like to make something that is a little more substantial and interesting.

These green beans are now one of my favorites. I love Parmesan cheese, and I had actually just picked up a nice block of Parmigano-Reggiano last week, so this was a perfect chance to use it. Joey isn't usually a big fan of green beans, but he enjoyed these. The breadcrumbs really give them a great crunch, and I pretty much love tomatoes on everything.

While this wasn't the fastest recipe, it certainly wasn't too terribly difficult or time consuming. It can easily be done while your main dish cooks.

Process the bread in a food processor (you should have about 1 cup crumbs).

Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Stir in the breadcrumbs and cook, tossing often, until golden brown, 3-5 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl and toss with 1/4 cup Parmesan and the chopped basil.

Wipe out the skillet with a paper towel, and add 1 Tablespoon of oil. Heat over medium heat until shimmering. Add the shallot and 1/4 teaspoon of salt. Cook until soft, 1-3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Stir in the tomatoes and cook until the liquid evaporates, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl.

Wipe out the skillet again, and heat the last tablespoon of oil over medium-high heat. Add the green beans and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Cook, tossing the beans often, until they are browned in spots, about 8 minutes. Reduce heat to medium and stir in tomato mixture and chicken broth. Cover and cook until the beans are crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. Remove the lid and cook until the liquid evaporates, 2 minutes.

Remove from heat and stir in remaining 1/2 cup Parmesan. Adjust seasonings if necessary with salt and pepper. Transfer to a serving dish and top with bread crumbs.

I tried these tonight! I had to made a few variations because I didn't have everything and I mistakenly pre-cooked the string beans :( But this was delish!! Definetly a try again recipe in which I will do exactly as written. Thanks for sharing JoJo!

This was AMAZING! We do a Thanksgiving-food redo for Christmas dinner, and I served this in place of the traditional green bean casserole. All my guests were raving about it! I was also impressed with how well the (very small amount of) leftovers reheated the next day -- still delicious! I think this has replaced green bean casserole in my house.....

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